Orange Beach council approves conditional use for Bayside Garages Phase 2 at Pelican Place

Griffin, the city planner, presented a conditional-use request for Bayside Orange Beach Garages Phase 2, a proposed mini-warehouse/self-storage development on 2.25 acres at 24689 Pelican Place in the city’s General Business zone. Griffin said the project would have 27% building coverage, two south-building structures housing units 13 through 21, and five parking spaces located between the two south buildings.

Griffin told the council the site contains approximately 0.34 acres of wetlands, of which the developer would mitigate or fill about 0.05 acres, and that the plan meets setback requirements. He described site elements the developer must provide as conditions of approval, including a 30-foot land-use buffer along the southern lot line, an 8-foot solid fence, landscaping with trees at least 8 feet tall at planting, storm-drainage calculations and a geotechnical report at permitting, a 16-foot gated and paved driveway, and that exterior materials would be metal as allowed under the zoning code. “This is at 24689 Pelican Place, Zone General Business,” Griffin stated during his presentation.

Griffin told the council the Planning Commission considered the request and recommended approval by a 6–0 vote. No public speakers commented during the hearing and the public hearing was closed.

Council moved for unanimous consent to suspend the rules and allow immediate consideration of the ordinance amending Ordinance No. 172 (the zoning ordinance) for Bayside Garages Phase 2. The motion carried, and a subsequent roll-call vote recorded unanimous yes votes, adopting the ordinance on first reading.

Mayor Kenan commented, “It’s a nice project. I think it’s a good place for it.” A council member added that the city has a need for additional storage space. The ordinance adoption completes local approval of the conditional use subject to the stated conditions; the developer must satisfy plan-submittal and permitting requirements before site work proceeds.

The council did not record any amendments to the approval during the meeting. The Planning Commission’s conditions and the city’s site-permitting requirements remain the path for technical clearance and construction review.